Wed Jan 01 16:06:28 UTC 2025: ## India Meteorological Department Celebrates 150 Years of Weather Forecasting
**Bengaluru, January 1, 2025** – The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is celebrating its 150th anniversary on January 15th, marking 150 years of service in providing weather forecasts for the Indian subcontinent. Established in 1875, the IMD is one of the world’s oldest meteorological departments, building upon earlier efforts dating back to 1793.
Initially facing challenges in standardization and data sharing, the IMD’s formation followed advocacy by the Asiatic Society of Bengal for a national meteorological committee. Significant milestones in the IMD’s history include the creation of the first weather chart (1877), daily weather reports (1878), and the incorporation of radar and satellite technology in later decades. Recent years have seen advancements in observation, communication, modelling, and forecasting accuracy, with a reported 40-50% improvement in accuracy.
Today, the IMD employs over 4,000 scientific personnel and utilizes advanced technology, including state-of-the-art computing platforms and prediction models. With headquarters in Delhi, it operates six Regional Meteorological Centres and 26 State-level Meteorological Centres.
C.S. Patil, Scientist and Director of the IMD Bengaluru, highlighted the increasing importance of meteorological services in various sectors, including aviation, shipping, fisheries, flood management, and agriculture, especially given changing weather patterns and more frequent extreme weather events. The IMD’s work in mitigating losses due to these events continues to play a vital role in India’s development.
First Piper 